


Brothers

by Ginny96 (manganeko96)



Category: Detentionaire (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Organized Crime
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 22:23:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16627538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manganeko96/pseuds/Ginny96
Summary: Five years ago, Lee Ping was kidnapped just like his older brother and raised as an assassin for The Council. Determined to escape their fate, the two escape Korea and flee to Canada to start new lives. Lee and his older brother Sung-Li attempt to live in the shadows as normal brothers and leave their dark past behind. Unfortunately, The Council has connections everywhere, making hiding a challenge. While Sung-Li struggles to support himself and his brother, Lee faces problems of his own in high school. Leaving had unforeseen consequences for everyone involved.





	Brothers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GuardianLioness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuardianLioness/gifts).



> I created this AU while watching Detentionaire for the first time. I had a theory Lee and The Serpent were brothers before it was ever revealed. I originally posted this on FF.N, but wanted to move it here so I could properly gift it to GuardianLioness, the one who introduced me to the show. Hope you enjoy!

Korea 1992

A young couple held their newborn baby close. Sung-Li Ping slept in his mother's arms while a photographer took the family's first picture. Little did the Pings know that their family would soon be broken.

In the middle of the night only a few days after the Pings settled in their home, tragedy struck. Sung-Li Ping was taken from his family. For 5 years, all Sung knew was training to be a warrior, to become "Serpent." At age five, he would complete his first assignment. He would take his brother Lee the same way he was taken years ago.

Korea 1997

Lee Ping slept in his mother's arms as his father finished marking Lee's arm with a simple tattoo. After losing Sung-Li before he had the chance to bestow this mark of protection, he made sure to give it to his second son as soon as he could. Though the Pings were more cautious with Lee, Serpent had been training for this moment his whole life.

"Don't worry Lee," his father whispered, "you can always rely on your family."

Serpent tried to ignore that his target had a name and a family. He wondered if his parents ever did that, or if he even had a family...

"He shook his head, telling himself to focus on the mission. He shoved his previous thoughts to the back of his mind.

"Target sighted. I'm going in." The young boy dropped in from his perch outside the window. He silently lifted the sleeping baby from the crib. Holding his prize in one arm, he slipped through the window and away from the house.

As he was leaving, something by the house caught his eye. After checking that no one could see him, he crept over to see what it was.

"In memory of Sung-Li Ping..." Serpent read. Lee had lost his older brother 5 years ago. Looking down at the child in his arms, Serpent decided to become the older brother Lee deserved.

"Don't worry," Serpent whispered to the child, "I'll be your big brother from now on. I won't let anyone hurt you ever. Brothers look out for each other because we're family."

Baby Lee snuggled against his brother's chest as they swiftly traveled in the dark.

* * *

Korea 2002

"Hey! Brother! Sung-Li!"

Serpent groaned. "I told you, you have to call me Serpent."

Lee frowned at his older brother. "Why? I think Serpent is a terrible name."

"Well, it's better than yours, Lizard." Serpent teased, smirking. Once Lee was old enough, Serpent told "Lizard" that his name was really Lee. He also shared the name he adopted for himself 5 years ago.

"Call me Lee! What idiot came up with these names anyway? We aren't reptiles," Lee huffed.

"Yeah, but on assignment we are Serpent and Lizard, not Sung-Li and Lee." Serpent reached over to ruffle the younger boy's hair. He hated the names too, but the two boys didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

Lee scowled and ducked away. "That doesn't matter. I came to remind you that you start my sword training today."

Serpent mentally cursed. He hoped Lee would forget about that. Both boys were lethal in hand-to-hand combat, and Serpent didn't want to give Lee any more ways to kill someone. He was already an expert swordsman, and only at ten years old. Lee was five and caught on quickly. It wasn't an ideal life, but the two boy's didn't have much of a choice.

"Fine. Today I will show you the basics." He took out two wooden practice swords and handed one to Lee. "I'll walk you through the first kata. Don't focus on power. You need to practice the movements until they are fluid." Serpent demonstrated four basic moves: a parry and strike, a slash, an evasive maneuver , and a defensive block. He first went through the kata at normal speed, and then slowed it down so Lee could watch each individual move.

"This doesn't look too hard." Lee scoffed. He attempted the first move... only for it to end in failure. Serpent chuckled as he watched his little brother lose his grip on the sword completely.

"It's harder than it looks. Now, I'm going to show you the proper form." He had Lee stand with the sword drawn, pacing around Lee adjusting his stance. "You also are going to lose your sword if you hold it like that." He moved Lee's hands so they were in the proper position. "Hold it with your left hand at the base, wrapping your fingers around the hilt, keeping the bottom fingers tight. Grip it the same way with your right hand below the guard." Lee did so and marveled at how different it felt.

Lee attempted the moves again and found he completed them this time. A smile lit up his face. "Look! I did it!" he exclaimed.

"Great. Now keep doing it for the rest of training." Serpent said, smirking. Lee's face fell.

"What? That's it?!" he cried, but his complaints were ignored as Serpent sat against the wall.

"Get to it," Serpent commanded. Lee groaned and went through the movements again. The strange moves felt awkward at first, but with repetition they gradually smoothed. By the end of the night, Lee's first kata was passable. He needed work, but it was miles better than his first "attempt." When training finally finished, Lee collapsed. He was exhausted from the constant training. "Keep working. Same time tomorrow." Serpent called over his shoulder as he left the training room.

"I really hate him sometimes," Lee growled. He pushed himself off the floor, ignoring his aching muscles, mentally cursing his brother.

* * *

Evenings were the best times for the brothers. After long days of training, they were allowed time to talk. Lee longed to leave their training and live a normal life. Serpent wanted to leave, but they had to wait until they were older. He was working on getting all the documents needed to leave Korea.

"Where so you think we should go?" Lee asked.

Serpent thought a moment. "North America is our best bet. The U.S. is out after that airplane disaster. I was thinking about Canada. We know enough English to live there, and I can start teach you French. Not to mention we grew up speaking Korean." Both could speak Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and English. In addition, Serpent was fluent in French, Italian, and Spanish.

Lee grinned. "Finally all those boring language classes are coming in handy. You and I will make it on our own. You always say 'brothers look out for each other.'"

* * *

Korea 2007

Two boys fought through an army of robots. Sung-Li, 14 years old, used a staff to behead the latest batch of robots. Lee, 9 years old, managed to take out several before he lost his footing. Sung-Li grabbed Lee's hand and sprinted down the hall.

"Hurry Lee, we need to go NOW!" Sung-Li dragged his brother through the corridors. Using his staff, Sung took out another fleet of robots. Lee managed to regain his balance and help his brother again. "You really think these robots can stop us?"

"Yeah!" Lee piped up. "Nothing can beat the Dragon Bros!" The two fought through the last of the robots and finally escaped.

"We're finally leaving behind this prison. It was all we knew for years, but now we can make our own choices." Sung said. "From this moment on, we are no longer Lizard and Serpent. We are Lee and Sung Ping, two ordinary brothers starting fresh. Now we live in the shadows.

**Author's Note:**

> I had the idea for this fic ever since Serpent was first introduced. Since Serpent's name is Li and Lee was already Lee, I decided Serpent's birth name would follow traditional Korean format. His personal name would be written as Sung-Li or Sungli. I liked the name Sung, so that is my fan name for him. Lee's name follows more westernized naming (to keep him safe), and Sung adjusts his personal name Sung-Li to Sung Li with Sung being his first name and Li being his middle name when the two are leaving Korea. It is common for people with Korean names to drop part of their name that may be difficult for foreigners to pronounce (or in this case, to clear up the Lee and Li confusion). This story is an AU and a few changes that are not obvious are:
> 
> 1\. This will have more focus on Lee's elementary and middle school life as well as Sung's high school life.
> 
> 2\. Sung is still slightly involved in the criminal underground, but refuses to let Lee anywhere near it,
> 
> 3\. They do not know Mrs. Ping and Dr. Ping are their parents. They don't even know they are biologically brothers (Sung considers himself an adopted brother/guardian)


End file.
